


Something Old, Something New

by Just_Another_Mystery



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Abuse is between Will and Mason, Abusive Relationships, Alpha Hannibal Lecter, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Blackmail, Cannibalism, Domestic Violence, Feminization, Fluff, Forced Feminization, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Omega Will Graham, Rude - Freeform, Talking of Weddings, Unhappiness, threats of sexual assault
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-05-20 00:53:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14884517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_Another_Mystery/pseuds/Just_Another_Mystery
Summary: The man, who Mason did not bother to introduce as his date or otherwise turned and looked up at him after he said his name, locks eyes with him. Hannibal’s minds blanks from murder, or dinner parties or anything to do with this rude man. And gets replaced with one thought.Will.Will’s frozen in place when he catches his silhouette, he hasn’t seen that face in three years but three lifetimes wouldn’t be enough to forget Hannibal Lecter. He’s standing in what most be a new house, hosting a dinner party (undoubtedly with human remains) and has invited both Will and his rude fiance. It will be a miracle if someone’s not dead before dinner.





	1. You Can Sleep In a Coffin (But the Past Ain't Through With You)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is a WIP but I do have a few chapters done. There is physical and emotional abuse and although the tags say it's between Mason and Will, Hannibal and Will's relationship is in no way healthy. There is also very light omega-verse. 
> 
> Chapter title is from Kill All Your Friends by My Chemical Romance. Which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee-KXn81UMA

Hannibal

He dreamed of a man with deep blue eyes. The man stood in the middle of a lake, water up to his knees and light surrounding him. He did not smile at Hannibal or look away from him. Hannibal was above the lake, as it belonged to this man and Hannibal could not have taken it if he wanted to.

He remembers this in the way an old man remembers his childhood, a vague sweet thing he can never get back to. This man and this lake have not made an appearances in his dreams in a long time. The man stands in his lake and throws a fishing line and Hannibal remembers the superstition, the need to name the line. He turns, obscuring his view of the man and in a haze he wakes up to a quiet empty house and wonders what Will would name his lines after now. It’s been a long time since the time it would have been Hannibal.

He wanders to the kitchen of his empty house and surveys his ingredients. He’s come to hate cooking, not for any concrete reason. The hunting is as a much a thrill as always and the taste of meat hasn’t dulled even minutely in his mouth. Will left long ago and every thought with him but the dream shakes him. He finds himself waiting to her the patter of dog paws on tiles as he makes entertains the sausage and eggs. thought of having a dinner to left his spirits.

He examines his Rolodex and lands on a Pauline Lilly, who had told Hannibal he could do much better than the scrappy man on his arms. But that doesn’t matter anymore because the Will is gone. He flips again and lands on a man he meet at the Art museum, loudly insulting every piece in his vicinity. He’ll have to do. 

* * *

It is re-markedly easy to get Baltimore’s finest into one house on a Friday night. If Hannibal was not who he was, he might inform the police of such a high profile party. As it is, he smiles at Pauline, who’s already on her third glass of wine. Only to be thrown off course by Miss Alana Bloom, who smiles at him in an vain attempt to flirt. Hannibal has never been a great romantic but Alana and her connections prove more useful than not. As one of very few beta females in psychology she is formidable in her own right.

“Hannibal,” She smiles, there’s a flute of champagne in her hands and her perfume is a light flowery scent that floats around her. “I was wondering if I was every going to see one of your parties and I must say it does live up to the hype.”

Hannibal smiles, a tight sort of thing. “I’m glad you are enjoying yourself. Although I do hope you’ll have an appetite for dinner. That’s where the real surprise is.”

Alana takes a drink from her flute and a bit of heat graces her face. “I can’t wait to have your infamous cooking.”

She leaves floating away like a true lady of court. He thinks of a messy black hair, blue eyes almost the color of the sea and the grace of a sloth. He decides that as soon as Alana’s connection to the FBI becomes void, she will be on his dinner table.

Baltimore’s high society is filled with piggish rude individuals who gorged themselves on the livelihoods of the humans they have deemed less worthy from their own status as having less money than them. It does not take much to get them to come to the dinner table and Hannibal smiles to see them eating one of their own.

It’s during the seating arrangements that he sees a handsome omega in an expensive coat, he has a hand around another man’s arm. Hannibal raises an eyebrow, it’s rare to see a guest he did not invite but he had heard there was a certain pig farmer, in the upper echelon of Baltimore with a penchant for relishing in ignoring polite society norms. Hannibal notes how rude it is to bring his latest floozy to a strangers home for a nice dinner and wonders if this man is to be his next meal. After all he can’t have the FBI getting complacent.

But right now he is not the Chesapeake Ripper, right now he needs to Hannibal Lecter, a host to a lovely dinner party that will need to break-up his squabbling guests. He comes over to them and smiles his most charming. “Is there a problem gentleman?”

The man turns towards him to smile but there’s an edge of malice that Hannibal recognizes, the glee in watching things not for a reason but for fun. The man extends his hand out to him. “Mason Verger.”

He shakes it, “Hannibal Lecter, was there some way I could help you?”

Mason nearly grins at him. “Well you see Doctor, I brought my date and unthinkingly did not even inform you. And well it seems there are not enough chairs.”

The man, who Mason did not bother to introduce as his date or otherwise turned and looked up at him after he said his name, locks eyes with him. Hannibal’s minds blanks from murder, or dinner parties or anything to do with this rude man. And gets replaced with one thought.

_Will._

* * *

Mason continues prattling on and those blue eyes blink at Hannibal’s. He’s just as surprised to see him as Hannibal, which doesn’t make sense, this is Hannibal’s home. But not the same house they spent days in.

It’s not until Mason drawls, “Well, Will I suppose you could go wait in the car-”

That Hannibal jumps back into the conversation and says louder than he meant to, “No,” He stops to clear his throat, “I’ll find you a chair,” He says only to Will. It’s as he’s walking away that he wonders what kind of man would let there date stay in the car through a dinner they invited him to?

He could very well grab one of the staff and have them bring him a chair but his guests are milling about still, his dinner could wait an extra minute to cool and Will Graham is in his house. The same Will Graham who told him he was leaving and never coming back. Hannibal is not prone to being out of control and he finds, he needs a second to clear his head.

A second in which he does not have passes and from behind him, a hand grabs his sleeve and he hears, “Hannibal? Are you okay?”

He turns around to see Will standing in his kitchen. Once a long time ago, this was his greatest fantasy, Will in his kitchen helping him prepare food for their guests. It was also something he nearly had. He’s dressed nicer than usual in black pants and a dress shirt that looks too big for him. He’s shaved and wearing a small amount of make-up, Will’s even abandoned his glasses and Hannibal thinks that must make this evening more uncomfortable than fun.

“What are you doing here?” He tries to say it softly. He doesn’t want this man to be afraid of him, anymore than he ever was and he looks smaller than he ever did. Will shrugs. “Mason invited me. I didn’t know it was your party.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Hannibal shook his head. “You don’t like parties.”

Will looked surprised and then gave him a smile that was too small for his face. He bites his lip.

“You two are dating then?” He asks and he is perplexed by the idea. Will Graham is an intriguing fellow who after retiring from the police force, worked for the FBI for all of two months before leaving to open a stray center for dogs. In all of the rumors Hannibal’s heard Mason makes up for his lack of personality with his inheritance of what Hannibal recalls is a pig farm.

“Actually we’re engaged.”

“You’re going to marry a pig farmer?”

“He’s my fiance, Hannibal.”

“Who just suggested you sit and wait for him because he couldn’t find a chair.” His voice is raising more than he’s used to be the guests can’t hear them from the kitchen and all the staff have left knowing better than to touch even a little bit of his cooking.

“That was a joke.” Will tells him with a solemn look and it’s been a long time without detecting Will’s lies but Hannibal doesn’t believe him for a second.

“Good joke. Is he going to suggest throwing you off a bridge next?”

“Do you want me to leave?” Will closes his eyes, showing his blue eye shadow and tries not to sigh. Strange, he never thought Will was the kind of omega who enjoyed make-up. He sounds exasperated and Hannibal remembers when he liked Will using that voice, because he used to sound so fond. Now he just sounds tired.

“No,” Hannibal said and then wonders if that would be easier for both of them if he said yes. But he’s nothing if not a good host. “No, Will you and your finance are both welcome in my house. Please enjoy you’re evening.”

Will doesn’t move and when he speaks it’s very quiet. “Don’t kill Mason.”

He isn’t begging and occurs to Hannibal that he could make him, he could be that monster that told Will to beg for Mason’s life and then killed him anyways, drench him Mason’s blood and prove that he _is_ the better man. And he wants to, more than anything show Will what he;s missing and what Mason will never be able to do for him. However, Will is a quiet presence and it must have occurred to him that after three years and the first time they see each other, Will is giving Hannibal power over him, a way to hurt him. He wants to take it, as it’s being offered, but he remembers all too clearly the night Will left.

He can’t hurt him again. Not like this.

“As you wish.”

“One more thing?” Will phrases as a question and he looks shier, staring away from Hannibal’s eyes and the tile on the kitchen floor. Hannibal forces himself not think of the sound of dog paws on the floor.

“Yes, Will?”

“I’m a vegetarian, Hannibal.”

He inclines his head at him. “Understood.”

Will smiles, a sad, sincere thing. “Thank you.”

Will turns and leaves back to the side of his _finance_ and Hannibal turns and tells one of the staff to find him a chair. He’s determined to make this the most pleasant dinner he’s ever had, he won’t even make any cannibal puns.

Well, maybe a few.

 


	2. There's A Menace In My Bed (Can You See His Silhouette?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Graham has made a lot of mistakes in his life. Staying in Wolf Trap for as long as he did, trusting Jack Crawford with his mind. 
> 
> Hannibal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry for the wait. But I do hope this chapter doesn't disappoint and I will try to be faster with updates but no promises. 
> 
> TW: There is a scene in which Mason does threaten Will with sex and does physically abuse him.
> 
> The Chapter Name is from Halsey's "Trouble"  
> Which you can listen to here; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mt8LeMLL_k

Will

Will Graham has made a lot of mistakes in his life. Staying in Wolf Trap for as long as he did, trusting Jack Crawford with his mind.

 _Hannibal_. He still can’t think of that one without regrets. Everything he ever wanted in a man, everything he needed in a person and he could have it, if only he overlooked the cannibalism.

It’s October in Baltimore and Mason keeps his house at a comfortable temperature but the past week, Will has woken up sweaty and unhappy. Will has never been much for sleeping soundly and when he wakes it’s with the familiar weight of a man wrapped around him. He goes still and attempts to even his breathing but it’s too late.

Mason’s arms wraps tighter and he pulls Will to face him, he straddles the man and smiles down at him. He reaches a hand to cup his cheek.

“My beautiful omega’s awake.” He leans down and runs his nose along the column of Will’s throat and presses his body against him. Will stays very still but Mason can smell his morning arousal. Mason leans backward and wraps a single hand around his throat and presses down. Will tries to breathe from his nose.

“Remind me why we aren’t trying for a child now, dear?” Mason says and thrusts against Will. Will curls his fingers into a fist and hopes Mason doesn’t notice. He takes a slow even breath.

“Your father would never forgive us.” Will says in a calm tone because even though it’s an antiquated notion that sleeping with an omega is tantamount to destroying both their reputation and your own, Mason’s father would take it as a great offensive, possibly declaring any child Will has illegitimate. It’s five months to the wedding, Mason won’t risk it and they both know it.

Mason sneers at him and grips his neck harder, “Always the clever one, aren’t we dear?” He runs his other hand over Will’s abdomen, where underneath his clothes is a myriad of bones and underneath the skin and sinew lies the womb that Mason so desperately needs.

“Suppose I’ll have to let it slide this time.” He pats Will’s middle and release the grip on his neck. He turns over and leaves Will laying there.

“Get dressed for breakfast, dear. And-” he gives Will a calculating once over, “do dress nice. I got you all that make-up, try using it.”

If things were different, Will would tell him just because he’s an omega doesn’t mean he’s a woman, he would tell him he would rather be spread on Hannibal’s dinner table to be fed with nothing of him left behind than let Mason impregnate him. He would tell him to go to hell and then make sure he gets there. But things aren’t different, he waits until he hears Mason feet stomp down the hall and lifts a hand to the tenderness of his throat. It’s going to bruise.

* * *

 

He gets ready for the day, even putting make-up on as Mason asked, mostly to hide the bruises but he adds eye-shadow and mascara so Mason won’t complain. He hates how feminine it makes him look but smiles through it. He comes down the stairs, only to see Mason lording over the kitchen, kitchen staff either scrambling or standing stock still. Margot is sitting at the table holding a fork and looking at an empty plate. Mason turns around and smiles, “There you are, my two dearest women in the room at last.”

Will stops on the steps, holding the banister. Winston stops with him, when he’s in the house he doesn’t let Will go anywhere without him. “I’m not a woman, Mason.”

Mason waves his hand, “Omega, then. Come, sit and eat. But not too much.”

Will walks to the table and eats a half a ridiculously, pretentious omelette, even though all he wants right now is a bowl of over-priced chocolate cereal. Mason continues talking as Will splits his omelette and puts half of it on Margot’s plate. Mason doesn’t notice.

“I know you have work, but a important friend of mine is hosting a dinner party and I’ve already told him we’d both be there. Do dress nice. This man is nearly infamous for his dinner parties. I’m sure you’re boss won’t mind. The dinner is at Eight, do be home by six to get ready.”

Will nods. And gets up to put his plate in the kitchen but a stern looking woman takes it from his hand and he’s not about to fight her for it. He walks over to Mason and kisses him on the cheek. “Have a good day.”

“Thank you, my omega. I _will_ see you at six.”

* * *

 

Will leaves with Winston by his side. The dogs aren’t allowed in the house and if Mason had his way they wouldn’t be allowed to live but Will asked to bring all eight of them home in front of Mason’s father and several witnesses. Neither man could say no, regardless Will still has the scars of the aftermath.

He drives for a half an hour to the dog shelter near town and smiles for the first time that day when he sees his co-worker with her seeing eye dog. Winston barks at her dog and Ruth smiles at him. “Will, you’re here early today.”

“I have to leave early too. Figured I could come now and help you open.”

“Well you know I’m always happy for the help and to see Winston of course.” She reaches down and Winston walks over to her hand, to let her pet his head.

“He seemed like he didn’t want to be home right now. So I brought him along.”

Ruth smiles, “Is your man in one of his moods?”

Ruth has never met Mason and Will would like to keep it that way. She’s the only one he works with that doesn’t ask about the occasional bruise, if only because she can’t see them. Will knows they talk about them though and he can’t blame them. He would do the same. Ruth has been married to her husband for three years and Will’s meet him, he adores her.

The day goes on and Will gets lost in caring for the dogs. He’s lost in cleaning Eve’s fur when he hears Ruth and another woman gossiping about a dog, “-who names the poor girl _that?_ What was it? I’m not even sure I can pronounce it.”

“It’s Cepelinai.” Ruth says, “And it is a bit unconventional.”

“It’s Lithuanian.” Will adds without thinking. “It’s a famous dish, there.”

Hannibal used to make it for him, occasionally and as much as Will hates to think of what Hannibal was making for him, it made him smile when Hannibal made the dumplings.

“Is that where Mason’s from?” One of the girl’s teases him and because he’s angry at himself and not in the mood he says, “No, my ex was.”

They leave him alone for the rest of the day and as Mason requested he’s home at six o’ clock. He smiles when he sees Will. There is the room they share when he takes the collar of Will’s shirt and fingers the fabric. “Do dress nice my dear. The maids have left clothes for you.”

Will is expecting a dress when he goes to the dresser only to be pleasantly surprised to see a dress shirt and slacks left out for him. Societal conventions suggest that omegas wear both male and female clothing at young ages to grow accustomed to the fluidity of their gender. Will’s father had always been accepting but girl’s clothes were more expensive and a single parent needed to focus on keeping a roof over their heads. Will never quite got used to the soft fabric of dresses and skirts and finds himself more often than not uncomfortable in them.

Will is ready in around ten minutes and meets Margot in the foyer of the house and they wait for a half an hour for Mason to come flouncing down the stares. He takes Will by the arm and looks him up and down. He hums to himself, “What a pity I can’t see my dear fiance in a dress tonight.”

Will says nothing but he has no doubt that won’t be the last of that conversation. It never is with Mason. He doesn’t know if he’s happier without a dress and a homicidal Mason or with a dress and a condescending, sexist Mason. They car ride is silent and until Mason gets out to get the door for him, the two have no interaction. The house is a big thing on the corner of the road, with an immaculate lawn and a strange, familiar-ness to it, at least to Will.

It’s rude to do so but Mason opens the door for them and they both walk in. Mason takes his coat and Will’s and leaves him to mingle. It’s when Will is looking for a strategic place to stay and look like he belongs when he sees the host.

Will’s frozen in place when he catches his silhouette, he hasn’t seen that face in three years but three lifetimes wouldn’t be enough to forget Hannibal Lecter. He’s standing in what must be a new house, hosting a dinner party (undoubtedly with human remains) and has invited both Will and his rude fiance. It will be a miracle if someone’s not dead before dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Cepelinai is a Lithuanian meat dumpling dish, according to google. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	3. And Jealousy's the Cousin (The Cousin of Greed)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Sorry for the long wait. Someone was asking if this has been abandoned and it has not. Updates are going to be sporadic because I work as a teacher and it makes it hard to pin down a specific time to write. That said I have I have two more chapters in the works and I'm slowly but surely finishing them. 
> 
> That said, onto the chapter. Fair warning, Hannibal's a bit out of character and the chapter itself is mostly set-up. Title is from The Curse of Curves by Cute is What We Aim For which you can listen to here; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wGz1j7obKw 
> 
> The italicized is a dream.

Hannibal

_Mason is strapped to a chair in Hannibal’s basement. His body is restrained by an old belt that belonged to Will and he’s sneering at Hannibal._

_“Where’s my finance, Lecter?”_

_He can feel the grin on his face. It’s a manic sort of thing, out of place when he’s addressing a victim. Their nothing more than sheep, but behind Mason’s chair there’s a man in a sweater, with his hands hugging himself._

_Hannibal looks up to him, only to see Will holding a butcher knife out for him. He’s careful as he takes it not to hurt with with it's edges and he smiles, “Thank you, my dear.”_

_He leans over Mason’s form. “Will you scream for him?” He asks and lowers the knife to his chest exactly where Mason’s heart is. “As I tear out your heart? Knowing you can’t have him?”_

* * *

 

_Will is smiling at him from the other side of the table. “It’s been a while since we’ve done something like this._

_“I do not believe you and I have ever had an experience quite like this one.” Hannibal tells him. Will raises a glass of blood red wine in a toast at him. “Pity. This is a bit obvious for you isn’t it?”_

_“Do you object?”_

_“Of course not.” Will smiles at him and on their plates rest the heart of Mason Verger, that Hannibal watches Will eat every bite of._

* * *

 

Hannibal wakes up surprised. It’s been a long time since he dreamed of murder. The nightmares of claws and children’s bones seem an entirely different category. It’s when his taking the liver out of his newest victim, not one of his tableau’s but he woke up with a craving for flesh. He would prefer the body of the pig farmer underneath him then the fisherman who flirted with every woman that came into his shop and then insulted them the second they walked out the door.

It’s the first time in all his years that the dinner he held, held almost no appeal to him, the entire night was blur of him making pleasantries and tracking Will’s every move. To take his mind off of it, he takes out the leftover meat and starts beating it. When he’s beating the meat, he hits a bit too hard when he thinks of Will asking him not to kill Mason. He glares at the hammered meat and sighs, clearly dealing with this in his own head is not working.

* * *

 

The cafe is a hipster place on the corner of the street and the waitresses is a college student with a bad attitude but she does get his over-priced coffee right. It’s Starbucks level garbage but he drinks it until a girl with a bright red handkerchief around her neck. She smiles and drinks the mug of sludge he order for her.

“Abigail, why do you like these places?”

“They’re not so bad,” She waves at a boy serving another table. “Besides the waiters are cute.”

Hannibal frowns disapproving at her. “I could take you any number of places and you could have a romance with lords.”

“Thank you, Hannibal.” She takes another sip of coffee and her lips turn up a bit. “But I think I’ll stick with uneducated sheep for now.”

He says nothing. But eyes her as she waves to the busboy cleaning the table on the other side of the tiny cafe.

“Why did you call me out here?” She leans over the table as her eyes light up and she whispers, “Are we going hunting?”

“You father was a very stupid man, Abigail.”

She leans back and shrugs at him. “You win some, you lose some. I’m just glad the FBI didn’t take me down with him.”

Hannibal smiles thinly. “About that,” He sets his mug down and sits up straighter in the chair. “There was a certain man they had asked to consult who refused.”

“Will Graham, I met him with Alana a couple times, after the investigation. Why? They’re not re-opening the case right?” She’s frowning at him. “What does he have to do with you?”

“Abigail if your case was re-opened it would have everything to do with me. But that’s not why I’m here. Will Graham did not agree to consult the FBI because I asked him not to.”

“Was he your patient?”

“No, he was my finance.”

She stares at him and has a hesitant sort of smile, like she’s about to laugh but isn’t quite sure if he’s joking. “You _dated_ Will Graham?”

“I asked him to marry me.”

“And he said yes?”

Hannibal gives her a reproachful look.

“Sorry, it’s just that he really doesn’t seem like your type. He’s very…” She searches for the right word. “Messy. Doesn’t seem like your type.”

“He is. I liked how opposite we were. And yet he was still endlessly fascinating to me.”

“So when’s the wedding? And why haven’t you introduced me, properly?”

“ _Was_ my finance Abigail. We broke up.”

“Too different?”

“Actually I told him about my particular appetites.”

“And he ran away screaming.”

“He asked to leave. He never came back.”

“And you what? Just let him leave? Just like that?”

“I love him.”

“But this was a while ago right, at least a year, if you knew him during my investigation.”

“We broke up a short time after I meet you, I was going to introduce the two of you but it never worked out.”

“So why are you bring this up _now._ Shouldn’t this be in the past?”

“Yes.” Hannibal said sharply and sets his mug down louder than he intended, “And it would be if Will didn’t show up at my home on the arm of some abusive pig farmer that wouldn’t know how to treat a dog. Never mind someone like Will.”

Abigail takes a final sip of her coffee and Hannibal knows it must be cold by now but there’s really no accounting for taste. “So, what I’m hearing is, you never got over your ex. Although it does seem a bit odd to show up at your ex-fiance’s home with your new boyfriend.”

“Fiance.” Hannibal grumbles. “However he did not know the location of the party.”

“Ouch.” Abigail fiddles with her mug and then looks up at him, “Wait, did you say party? Like a dinner party?”

“Yes. When have I ever thrown a party that didn’t have dinner?” Hannibal sniffs looking offended and Abigail rolls her eyes which is rude but killing her has more disadvantages than most. Besides, he’d miss the company.

“No, that’s not what I meant, I told you I met Will Graham. And he definitely did not seem like the kind of man who would go to a dinner party.”

“Does that matter? He was there.”

“You’re blinded by your feelings. I never thought I would see the day.”

Hannibal glared at her. “There’s a reason you’re still alive Abby.”

“Well if his fiance is having him do things that he doesn’t want to their relationship could be shaky and you could break them up.”

He gives her a flat look, “I’m an adult, I can’t go around breaking people up. Besides, Will has an empathy disorder, he’s attracted to people who are bad for him. It’s not unusual that he marries an unpleasant man.”

Abigail frowns at him. A hard sort of thing, gained by telling off all matters of police and FBI agents and perfected by Hannibal himself. “He was attracted to you once. And he could be again. Or you could just kill his finance.”

“He asked me not to.”

Abigail raises her eyebrows at him, “And you’re listening because you’re still in love and he’s _talking_ to you so clearly there’s still _something_ there.”

“Abigail, I didn’t call you to plot against Will and Mason. I called you to talk, and catch up on things. How’s university?”

“Boring, but there is a rumor of a date rapist going around and I think this might be a perfect opportunity to go hunting.”

Hannibal gives her one of his true yet terrifying smiles. “I think that’s a fantastic idea, Abigail Hobbs.”

* * *

 

Abigail’s hunts had a habit of being very modern for Hannibal’s taste but she is young and learning still so he restrains himself from the sigh he wants to let out as they enter the nightclub, popular with the children at Abigail’s school. The noise of a bass carries through his his ears to his chest and it’s only with his level of practice that he keeps track of Abigail to see where she’s going.

She stops at the bar behind a boy with a backwards baseball cap and Hannibal makes his way to the side of the bar where he can see them but will not be noticed. Abigail slides into the seat next to him, flipping her hair and giving him a flirtatious smile. It’s clear he recognizes her by the way he leans into her space. She’s setting him up to leave and Hannibal’s almost out of his chair when the man next to him startles.

He’s a shaggy fellow and when they make eye contact, he looks bewildered. “Hannibal?”

For the second time in a week Hannibal finds his gaze locked with calculating blue eyes. Will’s features contort into a look of concern. He looks around the club with the start of an abashed smile on his lips. “This doesn’t seem like your…scene.”

He speaks slowly with a hesitance and Hannibal is frozen. He’s never had to worry about seeing people he knows during Abigail’s hunts. He smiles, a controlled sort of thing. “Nor yours, I expect.”

The light in the club is a dark blue that swings back and forth and contorts faces. But he suspects the dark on Will’s cheeks is a result of a flush that he likes to pretend doesn’t exist. Will shrugs his shoulders, “I wanted to clear my mind for a while.”

“And what better way than alcohol?”

Will laughs and looks at the glass of what smells like scotch and looks like it hasn’t been touched. “Afraid I was not in the mood to drink. Besides the music here is loud enough that you can’t think if you wanted to. But you never answered my question.”

“Yes. I am here with my protegee.” He looks over to her and lifts up his hand and calls. “Abigail.”

Will looks where she’s glaring at Hannibal and remarks, “I think you interrupted something.”

“She’ll forgive me.”

She comes over to them with a hesitant sort of look and stands near Hannibal, who gestures towards her, “Will, I would like introduce you to Abigail.”

He smiles at her, bright eyes skimming hers. “Sorry to interrupt your night.”

She smiles. “It’s probably for the best. Hannibal promised to cook me dinner. Why don’t you come Will?”

He looks around nervous at the gesture. He tries a smile that’s little more than a grimace. “Thank you, but I really should be leaving.”

“I insist.” Hannibal says surprising himself, Abigail was trying to annoy him which was working until he pictured Will sitting at his dinning room table once more and suddenly that’s all he can think about.

Will turns, ignoring Abigail at his side and stares directly into Hannibal’s face. With the empath being what he is, Hannibal can’t help wonder what he sees staring back at him.

“I’m a vegetarian Hannibal.” He says softly but Hannibal is so in tune with him he hears him even in the heart of the club.

"Of course.” He says slowly, “We could go out if you want, you always liked cheeseburgers?”

Abigail is carefully pretending not to listen in to their conversation but Will is smarter than most give him credit for and Hannibal has no doubt that he can see right through her and her innocence.

“No, I don’t eat any meat.” He says as they walk out of the building, they stand together as Abigail walks in front of them, parting the crowd. They are in the dark cool air and Abigail is on her way to Hannibal’s car by the time Will breathes out and continues a bit strained. “The last time I ate I burger, I threw up and had nightmares for weeks.”

His face has reddened and he sounds embarrassed. It’s strikes Hannibal that this man could seem like a soft thing, even as he looks in the eyes of monsters and they look back at him. It’s startling, nothing like their old conversations, Will had never seemed shy before, even when he knew Hannibal as the cannibal evading the FBI. It’s when he brings his arms to his chest to cross them that he sees the bruises on his wrists. They are dark purple things, not easily hidden without the help of cloth.

“I can make pasta.”

“People pasta?” Will asks and Hannibal looks up startled, Will looks even more surprised, they are in the dark alley away from the club and Abigail, no one is going to hear them but Will still looks back and forth and then at Hannibal’s who laughs, “I promise just pasta.”

Will purses his lips and looks down, Abigail yells at them from the side of Hannibal’s Bentley and Will looks up and then back at Hannibal, “I knew about her. How she helped her father.” He bites his lips and looks away. “I was going to tell Jack. But outside his office I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

He doesn’t have to say why, it was not long after their break up that Abigail’s father was found out. In fact they had spoken about him in their last week. “I have to say I never imagined you would take on a protege.”

“It wasn’t my idea.”

“Ha. Yes, that sounds more like you.” Will smiles and walks away towards Abigail and Hannibal’s car.

* * *

Hannibal is coming into the kitchen with a plate that doesn’t have a bit of meat on it and serving it to his companions. Will is on one side of the table and Abigail the other both with glasses of wine and smiling at each other and Hannibal thinks he recalls Will asking Abigail about her interest in psychology.

It as he is sitting at the head of the table to serve them that he thinks, this is what he wants. It’s not perfect of course, ideally Will would indulge in his dietary habits but as he’s not flinching away from either him or Abigail, he’s clearly in a state of blissful ignorance. And _that_ he can work with. It was too much last time and Will was frightened away but he’s here now and Hannibal just needs him to bend a bit instead of breaking.

It’s feasible, even if Will has no interest in the consumption of his fellow man, as long as he is here at Hannibal’s side, he could live happy with just that. Because that is what he wants, and he’s never denied himself any sort of pleasure.

Will smiles, a genuine sort of thing that Hannibal hadn’t realized he had missed when he sees that Hannibal had indeed made pasta.

Yes, this is what he wants and this is what he will have. Noticing the bruises on Will’s wrist, he frowns. That will have to be dealt with. 

 


	4. I Don't Want to Think About You (Why Can't You Just Let Me Be?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everybody! I'm back and I am extremely sorry this took so long. But it's here now! 
> 
> So just to warn you, this chapter is sad, it will have domestic violence, a lot of sexism and not a whole lot of Hannibal but he will be back. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it and I will try to get the next one out in under three months. The title name is from Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy which you can listen to here; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOIMcbP0FCI

Will

 

“ _Hello beautiful.” Hannibal murmurs to him from the other side of the bed and he blinks awake at the sight of him._

_“Hannibal? What are you doing here?” He asks, looks him up and down, he’s fully dressed in a ridiculously colored suit, has his shoes on and is lying next to him in his bed._

_“Don’t you remember, Will? I promised you a picnic.”_

_Will smiles at him, a genuine happy thing. “Was that today?”_

“-Up! Wake up!” A voice yells and Will sits up in bed and sees Mason standing over his bed. “What the hell were you doing?” 

“…Sleeping?” Will says disoriented. And Mason reaches a hand back and slaps him across the face but Will doesn’t register the hit until it’s knocked him back down onto the bed. “Well, I told you to wake up. Get dressed. We’re leaving soon.” 

Will doesn’t ask where they are going, he waits as Mason storms out of the room in a cloud of rage and once he’s gone, Will gets up to get dressed only to find that everything in his closet has been replaced by woman’s clothes. He sighs at the dresses and thinks today is going to be a long day.  Not to mention everywhere he looks, he sees the shadow of Hannibal’s memory. 

He hates it in the same way that he loves getting lost in the memories the reasons he left Hannibal were good and reasonable and he did not regret it then but he remembers how happy he was and how he is not anymore. He loved him and he knew him and he wishes he could forget how much he misses him.

The man is in his dreams, in his head, when he thinks of the wedding, it’s not his and Mason’s he’s thinking of, it’s his and Hannibal’s, the one he’d been so happy to plan and be a part of. He loved how well he and Hannibal could compromise and he had hoped, no he had thought, with his whole heart that they were close to a perfect match. Because they were in love and maybe in a secret, sentimental part of him, he thought everything else would figure itself out. 

He’s thinking of him, even as he’s putting on eyeliner in the mirror, only because he found a dejected pair of jeans in the back of his closet and decided to wear those instead of an obnoxious dress. He remembers once, that he and Hannibal went out on a date and they heard, some other obnoxious couple talking about how some people just didn’t know how to date within their class and he remembers how obvious it was that they were talking about him. 

It was in the early days of their relationship and he remembers how embarrassed he had been at being seen with someone so put together and here he was, this mess of a human out with him. He could never quite muster up the feeling of getting angry with those ladies but Hannibal could. Hannibal announced quite loudly and with them in range that his omega, Will was beyond all class and so much more than the omegas who put on makeup to hide their insecurities and just wished for an alpha to sweep them off their feet. 

Will squints at the mirror and wonders what it is that Mason wants him to hide about himself. Because like most things these days, the make-up is his ideas. Will sighs wondering what Hannibal must think of him now. He wishes he could tell him the truth but of all people Hannibal’s probably the one best served not to know about anything that happened between him and Mason. 

It’s rather funny in a sad way. Protecting the person he had loved so much by marrying someone else. 

* * *

 

It turns out, Mason’s urgent business that got him all up in arms is just breakfast with Margot, who stares glumly at him as he eats his breakfast. The cooks clearly think he’s already pregnant as they give him the blandest food they can possibly find. Will would love to tell them off for this and ask for something with taste but as he learned when he first moved in here, absolutely none of them speak any amount of English, French or the very small amount of Lithuanian that Hannibal taught him (although to be fair, most of those words, he would not say to anyone working for his fiancee’s family).  Of course the breakfast takes a turn for the worst when Mason gets up to make an announcement. “I have decided when our engagement party is to be.” 

Will blinks at him because he’s not sure where to start. “Mason,” He pauses, the word feels like acid on his tongue. “…honey. We’ve been engaged for almost a year.” 

“Yes, you’re sense of time never ceases to impress me, love. But please make you’re point if you must.” 

“We already had an engagement party, when we got engaged.” Will says and he knows he sounds like he’s talking to a toddler and judging by the glare Mason sends him, he’ll pay for it later. 

“I’m perfectly aware of that. We had a nice big party for all those newspapers and tabloids. But as we get closer to the wedding, I want to keep our friends and family around us. So, we’re going to have an engagement party, but this time, let’s make sure it’s people we know and no newspapers. How does that sound, my omega?” 

Will musters up a smile, “Of course, Alpha.” 

And it probably would be nice. It’s the kind of considerate thing an alpha would do for their omega, making sure they are surrounded by friendly faces and people who love them before jumping into something like a marriage. Except, Mason is a lot of things but one thing he will never be is a good alpha. So of course, there has to be a catch of some sort.

“Oh and dear, do make sure to invite that Lecter fellow. You two seemed like you had so very much to talk about, I felt truly terrible that your time was cut short the other day but now you’ll have a chance to catch up.” 

There it is. Really, Will’s not sure why he was expecting anything else. This, at the very least, is a very Mason-like thing to do. “Is that a problem, dear?” 

“Of course not, Alpha.” Will says obediently, “I will make sure he’s there.” 

Mason gives a smile like a shark, all teeth and nothing nice about it at all. “Excellent, now for our next order of business. Will, you and I are going to visit my father in his office.” 

Margot watches as Will gets about five shades paler and Mason goes on to say; “Margot, you watch the house. I doubt he wants to see you anyways.” 

She takes a sip of her orange juice and doesn’t argue. 

* * *

Will does eventually put on a dress because even though dying doesn’t scare him as much as maybe it should, he finds Mason’s father a terrifying monster, who has certain views about how omegas should behave in all aspects of their life. As much as Will would love to repel against this notion, he has no doubt the man would torture him before even letting him get a word in. And Will’s seen what they do to their pigs and nothing could ever be more frightening than the Verger’s complete disregard for human life. 

Although it’s almost torture being were he is now, in an elevator with the Verger’s eldest son. He’s in a dress and leggings and Mason has pushed him against the wall, so he’s trapped between Mason’s body and the railing that’s digging into his back. 

“You’re such a pretty omega.” Mason says, lifting his hand to rest at Will’s cheek and jawbone as their eyes lock. He’s face is set in something closer to a sneer than a smile. “It’s too bad about that attitude though.”  Will swallows but says nothing and wishes someone, anyone would need the elevator in the Verger’s main office building, anyone at all, but he has no such luck. So, Mason continues. 

“Tell me, dear, what about Mr. Hannibal Lecter is it that makes you so uncomfortable?” 

Even though, he’s trying not to Will squirms a little and Mason notices and lifts an eyebrow. “Now, I’m even more curious, so tell me what was it? How do you two even know each other?” 

“We used to date,” Will says honestly but Mason just laughs at him.

“No, that can’t be right.  _He’s out of your league_.” Mason spits out and although Will could point out that he’s good enough for Mason to marry he doesn’t because maybe he’s right, everyone seemed to think so, except Hannibal himself. 

“We were going to get married.” Will says and he’s not sure who he’s defending anymore. Hannibal? For loving him? Or maybe himself? For Hannibal thinking that he was worth getting married for because, and maybe this is self-absorbed, but he doesn’t think Hannibal would get married to someone other than him, at least not for love. But then, look where he is now. 

Mason gets quite close to his face and then laughs, a breathy weird little thing that makes Will’s stomach feel nauseous. “Ha, you’re not even lying, are you? Well that’s just perfect, now isn’t it? I can show off the beautiful omega I have to the man that didn’t get to marry him.”

Will would love to tell him how utterly sickening that is on many levels but he keeps his mouth shut and Mason looks at the little light that tells them what floor they are on in the elevator. 

“We are almost to my father’s. You remember the rules of course? Say nothing and do not look him in the eyes. And of course, like a good little omega, if he tries to touch you, what will you do?” 

Mason asks smirking at him. 

“I-” Will stutters looking at a spot of the floor and Mason gets impossibly closer to him. 

“What will you do, William?” 

“If your father tries to touch me I,” He pauses and swallows, “I will let him.” 

“And why is that, Will?” 

“Because, I am a good omega.” Will says and Mason smiles, a sick sort of thing and looks at Will who looks defeated and oh so beautiful. 

“Good boy.” 

They walk out of the elevator, Will trailing behind Mason and holding his hands, more for appearances sake than much else and while every person in the office nods to Mason and says hello, they say nothing to Will. He hates coming to the office with Mason, it’s the worst place to be with him, not because of the man himself but because of the Verger employees treatment of him, they are almost all alpha and beta males and he never feels more like he’s Mason’s property than when he’s there. 

And then it comes to seeing Mason’s father and it’s always worse every time they come in. Mason is a carbon copy of his father, except maybe a bit less wrinkled and they agree on almost every thing so while they are greeting and talking to each other, Will is to stand on Mason’s left side, not to make a move or a sound and to look at nothing but the floor. He pays no attention to the pig business talk they’re having because he really does not care. He stares at the floor and thinks about Hannibal, lately that’s all he has been doing. 

But when Mason’s father says; “And how is your beautiful omega, Mason?” then he starts to pay attention. 

“Oh, he’s adjusting wonderfully. Will, come let my father see you, why don’t you?” 

It’s not a question but Will nods and stands in front of Mason and does not look at his father, instead he keeps his gaze averted and no where near the man’s eyes. But his father raises a hand and lifts it to Will’s chin, raising his face so he has to make contact with his eyes. 

“So pretty he is, where ever did you find this omega?” His father asks Mason and Will holds his breath. 

“Oh, some idiotic alpha threw him away before their wedding.” Mason says and Will realizes he never actually told Mason that he’s the one who broke up with Hannibal. But that might not be the worst thing, he doubts Mason would believe him anyways. Mason’s father lets go of his face and keeps talking but never to Will. He stands perfectly still and forces himself not to shiver for the unwanted touch. 

“What a pity for him, but you always were good at finding diamonds in the rough, Mason. A beautiful omega and I bet he’s fertile too, hmm?” 

The man reaches out to touch Wills stomach but as soon as he feels the finger tips through the dress, he takes a step back into Mason’s space and then lets out a small gasp, because he knows he was absolutely not suppose to do that. 

There’s a brief pause, until Mason’s father lets out a laugh. “Well it appears you’ve found yourself a loyal one, son. You’ll appreciate that in your late years.” 

“Of course, father.” Mason says and wraps his hands around Will’s waist. He can tell from the tight way he squeezes that the man is not happy with him, no matter how easily his father took the disobedience, Mason would not be as forgiving.

* * *

He isn’t surprised when the hit comes, Mason could barely wait until they got back to the house and as soon as they were inside he was on top of him. He is surprised by how hard the punch is, it knocks him to the floor and Mason’s on top of him before he catches his breath. 

He punches him again in the eye and that’s the third time today, so it will probably become a black eye. Vaguely, he can hear Mason say something to him. 

“How dare you disobey my orders.” He hears Mason scream and the sound of something breaking and he just hopes it’s not a bone but it might be because he can taste blood in his mouth. But Mason doesn’t stop screaming, “Don’t you know, you are my omega? Do you know what that means, Will? It means, I own you. Your words, your body, everything, it’s mine.”  He hears Mason snarl a bit more but he’s not sure what he’s saying at all. He doesn’t know how long the beating lasts because after the fifth, maybe sixth? punch he feels himself pass out from the pain and the stress to his body. 

When he wakes up, he’s alone next to the staircase. Someone (probably Margot) has put a blanket over him and a glass of water where he can reach it. He grabs it and downs the whole thing.

He doesn’t think too much ahead of that, he just gets up and stands on his feet. He grabs his keys and leaves, he’s not sure where he’s going at all, not when he gets in the car or when he’s driving miles away from. But he is not even a little surprised when he ends up parked outside Hannibal’s home. It is funny really, he had been thinking of him all day even when trying not to, he should have known he would end up here. Out of the arms of a psychopath and into the house of another. At least this one will feed him. He sighs and gets out of the car, walking to the door and knocking.  He’s not left waiting long as Hannibal opens the door and frowns at him, “Will?” 

“Hi Hannibal,” He says and because it is the right time for it he asks, “Can I have dinner with you?” 

The man’s frown deepens but he opens the door up to Will without question and that’s all he really needed him to do. So he smiles at him and walks into the cannibal’s home. 

 

 


End file.
